ISIS beheads 12 cops after seizing key gateway to Europe

THEY'RE COMING: A US air strike on Sabratha, Libya, and ISIS jihadis execute a captive

Jihadis committed the atrocity after storming Sabratha – which is just 30 miles from Libyan capital Tripoli.

ISIS – also known as Daesh – seized control of the ancient city after battling through the night with local militia.

Security experts have warned the group – which is thriving in the bloody aftermath of former Libyan dictator Muammar “Mad Dog” Gaddafi violent overthrow – may plant terrorists among migrants crossing the Mediterranean to Europe.

GOOGLE

NEARBY: Sabratha – shown in red – is just 30 miles from Tripoli and 200 miles from Italy

ISIS has encircled Sabratha since early last year – but finally overran the city centre after a fierce firefight on Tuesday.

Government-backed security forces eventually retook the city – but not before the terror nuts had decapitated the cops.

Fighting continued at daybreak after battles around Sabratha’s hospital and football stadium – with Isis fighters retreating to a western suburb.

EPA

BOMBED: Citizens of Sabratha inspect damage from a US air strike

REUTERS

CASUALTY: A victim of the strike is treated in hospital

“ISIS is creating a real African jihadist army”

David Thomson

Analysts warn ISIS is creating an “African jihadist army” in Libya and they could easily mingle with genuine refugees fleeing war and chaos across the region.

So-called “sleeper cells” could then launch Paris-style attacks in European cities.

Most of the group’s units attacking Sabratha were said to be foreign fighters – as oppose to Libyans.